Industry News

Each spring, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) honors a volunteer firefighter who has provided a lifetime of service, a volunteer firefighter or EMS provider who has demonstrated leadership in the area of responder health and wellness, an outstanding junior firefighter, and an exemplary junior firefighter program. All recipients receive a personalized award and national recognition. NVFC Lifetime Achievement AwardThe NVFC Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by OnStar, recognizes a...

SSAIB, one of the licensed certification bodies who deliver BAFE scheme assessments, have achieved an historic milestone of 300 active BAFE scheme-certificated companies. In September 2019, BAFE registered A1 Fire and Security Ltd, who are the 300th active company on the BAFE Fire Safety Register that have been assessed and third-party certificated through SSAIB. They join the more than 1450 BAFE-registered companies who are third-party certificated, with over 1700 BAFE fire safety scheme certi...

MSA, DuPont, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) provided 13 volunteer fire departments with needed personal protective equipment through MSA’s 2019 Globe Gear Giveaway. Each department received four sets of new, state-of-the-art turnout gear along with four helmets to better protect their members. This year marks over $1 million worth of gear that has been donated to volunteer fire departments in need since 2012. In total, 507 sets of turnout gear have been awarded to 108 depar...

Harken Industrial and CMC are proud to announce the launch of a new multi-purpose rope travel device, the CLUTCH (part number IN401). This single wearable tool has been designed for efficient hauling, controlled lowering, smooth personal descent, easy ascending and reliable progress capture. At launch, the CLUTCH will be available from both Harken Industrial and CMC. Single wearable tool Manufactured by Harken Industrial, the CLUTCH boasts an impressive range of benefits for those working in t...

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) welcomes the release of the report following the first phase of the Public Inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire, and will comment further once the findings have been examined in greater depth. It is well documented and understood that the major failing of the building was due to the cladding material, and the ASFP looks forward to phase 2 of the Public Inquiry when the circumstances that led to its inclusion in the building will be determine...

The arrival of winter and the festive season brings added fire and security risks at home and work. Chubb Fire & Security wants to help keep families, their homes and belongings safe and secure. Chubb is part of Carrier, a global provider of innovative heating, ventilating, air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies. According to Fire & rescue incident statistics: England, year ending June 2019, there were 268 fire-related fatalities from...

The Electronic Security Association (ESA) is now accepting entries to its 2020 Youth Scholarship Program — a philanthropic endeavor that aims to support the futures of sons and daughters of first responders. The electronic security industry works intimately with the public safety sector. Police, firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs offer a vital service to our communities, in our shared goal of keeping people, places and property safe. To give back to this group that so positively impacts t...

The London Fire Commissioner, Dany Cotton, has announced she will be stepping down from her position at London Fire Brigade on 31 December. The Commissioner had previously announced in June that she intended to retire from the fire and rescue service in April 2020, but in consultation with City Hall it has been agreed that Dany will bring that forward to the end of this year to enable a timely handover to the next Commissioner, as the Brigade works to urgently deliver the recommendations of the...

A Cambridgeshire firefighter becomes the first female at March Fire Station to be the officer in charge of emergency incidents and qualified to drive a fire engine. Firefighter Vicky Vata was successful at the crew’s drill night on late November 2019 where she was assessed by officers from Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service’s training center. The qualification, known as ‘safe to ride’ means Vicky will ride a fire engine as the officer in charge of an incident, taking...

Responding to a terrible student accommodation fire in Bolton, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has called for a complete overhaul of UK fire safety and condemned cuts to fire and rescue services. Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: "My congratulations go to the crews on the ground who did amazing work in incredibly difficult circumstances. This terrible fire highlights the complete failure of the UK’s fire safety system. It’s deeply troubling to see fire spread rapidly up a build...

ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland is advising fire safety professionals on the importance of properly certified hardware and training, following warnings from experts in fire safety law that they may now be deemed responsible for any breaches. Liability for fire safety breaches is being increasingly pushed down from building owners and occupiers to those that have been consulted, assessed and advised on the appropriate fire safety solutions for a site. Should these products fail to...

Cold Cut Systems announces that Bernie Higgins, Head of Cold Cut Academy and one of our UK staff, takes over as Chair of FIRESA Council. FIRESA Council is one of seven councils under the aegis of the Fire Industry Association, the largest fire protection and firefighting trade association in the UK with over 850 members. Bernie is a former Principal Officer in London Fire Brigade and brings his experience of the UK Fire and Rescue sector as well as his commercial knowledge to the role.